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The California Democratic Party on Saturday gave a pre-endorsement to San Benito County Supervisor Robert Rivas at the Region 7 Pre-Endorsement Conference. The pre-endorsement comes just three weeks after Rivas officially launched his campaign for the 30th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and Hollister.

Democratic state Assemblywoman Anna Caballero—a state Senate candidate this year—faced criticism last week after a California-based progressive advocacy group announced her inclusion in a “Hall of Shame.”

Auto burglaryA resident’s car and storage unit were broken into on the 15200 block of La Alameda Drive. The crime was reported 1:55pm Jan. 29.DisturbanceA female customer at Coffee Guys, 50 East Third Street, threw coffee on other customers, creating a disturbance. The woman refused to leave when store staff asked her, but she left when police arrived. The incident was reported 2:24pm Jan. 29.Two intoxicated men were seen throwing chairs around and drinking open alcohol containers outside Mr. Hong restaurant at Monterey Road and Spring Avenue. The disturbance was reported 2:28pm Jan. 29.A transient male was seen dancing around holding an open pocket knife in front of Blush Boutique, on the 200 block of West Main Avenue. The disturbance was reported 11:39am Feb. 2.Numerous vehicles were racing and playing loud music at the downtown parking garage, 50 East Third Street. The disturbance was reported 10:24pm Jan. 27.A car with a loud muffler was “racing” through the downtown parking garage, 50 E. Third Street. The disturbance was reported 11:36pm Feb. 5.Stolen vehicleA thief or thieves stole a silver 1997 Honda Civic from the 200 block of East Dunne Avenue. The crime was reported 2:50pm Jan. 29.Someone stole a red 2000 Ford Contour form The Ford Store, 17045 Condit Road. The theft was reported 2:51pm Jan. 29.A green 1996 Honda Civic was stolen from the 18500 block of Butterfield Boulevard. The theft was reported 3:16pm Jan. 30.A thief or thieves stole a white 1990 Honda Accord from a spot on Barnell Avenue. The theft was reported 6:51am Feb. 2. Someone stole a white 1997 Acura Integra from Maple Leaf RV Park, 15200 Monterey Road. The theft was reported 6:04pm Jan. 26. A thief or thieves stole a white 1992 Chevrolet F10 pickup from the area of Del Monte and Wright avenues. The crime was reported 7:41pm Jan. 26.Someone stole a red Ford Edge from a spot on Sandalwood Way. The crime was reported 8:06am Jan. 29.A silver 2001 Chevrolet 1500 with a camper shell was stolen from the area of Butterfield Boulevard and East Dunne Avenue. The crime was reported 9:54am Feb. 5.A thief or thieves stole a black 2016 Dodge from the parking lot of Safeway, 235 Tennant Station. The theft was reported 4:09pm Feb. 2.Petty theftSomeone stole paperwork from an unlocked 2007 Nissan Quest at Hill Haven Mobile Home Park, 17975 Monterey Road. Specifically, the thief or thieves stole a Mexico passport, U.S. visa card and international migration permit. The crime was reported 1:10pm Jan. 30.A man about 25 to 35 years old stole about $200 worth of baby formula from CVS, 16995 Walnut Grove Drive. The crime was reported 10:47am Feb. 1.Someone stole a license plate from a vehicle parked on the 1100 block of Appian Way. The crime was reported 10:31am Feb. 5.Someone stole a piggy bank worth about $7 from Star Gifts, 626 Tennant Ave. The theft was reported 4:15pm Feb. 5.Suspicious vehicleA dark green Honda was seen circling the neighborhood in the area of the 400 block of Calle Cerro. A witness told police the vehicle appeared to be stalking the area for possible theft or burglary. The vehicle was reported 4:01am Jan. 27.AccidentA school bus full of students collided with a parked white pickup in the area of Shadowbrook Way and Carriage Drive. No students on board the bus were injured. The accident was reported 7:37am Jan. 29.Defraud innkeeperA customer of Morgan Hill Foods ate ice cream inside the store and did not pay for it. When confronted by an employee, the suspect said he didn’t take any ice cream and dropped the empty packaging on the floor. The theft was reported 12:45pm Jan. 29.FraudA woman reported her wallet fell out of her purse in the parking lot in front of JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts at Tennant Station, and her credit cards were later used at multiple locations. The fraud was reported 3:43pm Feb. 5.Hit and runThe owner of a Buick SUV reported that another vehicle hit their car while it was parked in the downtown garage, and then fled the scene. The Buick was parked on the second level of the garage on East Third Street. Police reviewed surveillance video from the garage, but could not see the moment the suspect vehicle hit the Buick because the cameras were “skipping.” The collision was reported 5:37pm Feb. 5.All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors last week awarded a $2 million grant to the City of Morgan Hill to go toward the construction of an all-inclusive playground project that would cater to all the community’s children and grownups, including those who are disabled.The county board created the All-Inclusive Playground Grant Program in 2017 to provide grants to local jurisdictions and nonprofits to build all-inclusive playgrounds within Santa Clara County. Playgrounds funded under the grant must be designed to address the needs of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory challenges, visual and auditory Impairments, plus medically fragile individuals and those with cognitive, developmental, and physical disabilities.The playground is expected to include synthetic turf with slides and a climbing wall, a tree house, sound play garden, water spray mister, swing zone, a climbing area, a community stage, and a quiet area for kids to take a break.Santa Clara County District 1 Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents Morgan Hill, made the motion on the funding recommendation in support of the city’s grant application.“Children of all abilities deserve a safe and fun place to play, which is why I am proud to report that I and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved $2 million for the Magical Bridge Playground in Morgan Hill,” Wasserman said in an email to the Times on Tuesday. “The playground is the result of the Morgan Hill community coming together to create a special place for children and families.”The $2 million county grant will go a long way when it comes to paying for the project. Current costs to develop the inclusive playground are estimated at $5.2 million, according to city staff. This includes design, construction and payment to the Magical Bridge Foundation, a nonprofit that works to bring inclusive playgrounds to communities in the Bay Area. The group works with the city to support fundraising, marketing and promotion, grant writing and design expertise for the all-inclusive playground.“We are thrilled with Morgan Hill’s enthusiasm to bring a Magical Bridge playground to its community and all who visit, and appreciate the strong leadership of Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman,” said Olenka Villarreal, co-founder of the Magical Bridge Foundation, which is based in Palo Alto. “While the City of Morgan Hill had allocated $2 million towards the playground, this community was counting on the vision of their district’s supervisor to vote on the full $2 million to help make the playground a reality,” Villarreal said. “By doing so last week, he is forever going to be celebrated here as ‘Magical Mike!’”Accessible for everyoneMagical Bridge Foundation originally started as Villarreal’s personal quest to find a playground accessible for her daughter with special needs. She said that quickly evolved into an urgent need to create a new kind of community space for kids and adults of all abilities to enjoy.“In short, a place so magical that it would bridge the gap between those with and without disabilities so families had a fun place for everyone to enjoy,” she said.Villarreal and the Magical Bridge Foundation led the charge to create an all-inclusive playground in Palo Alto in 2015. A similar playground in Redwood City broke ground in November 2017 and is expected to open later this year.The new Morgan Hill Inclusive Playground, when fully funded, will be constructed at the Community Park in southwest Morgan Hill, between West Edmundson and Cosmo avenues. Santa Clara-based Verde Designs Inc. handled the design concept, which Villarreal said used designs from the Palo Alto Magical Bridge playground.“The design of the park pulls some elements from other inclusive playgrounds that have been found successful and integrates them with the ideas brought forward through the community outreach to create a design that will be unique to the Morgan Hill playground,” City Public Works Director Chris Ghione said.The Magical Bridge Foundation has raised over $100,000 for the Morgan Hill all-inclusive playground since partnering with the city. Villarreal announced on Tuesday the foundation received a $10,000 donation toward the project from the Walmart Foundation.“Magical Bridge Foundation will continue to help the city secure another $500,000 in order to break ground, and we welcome introductions to donors,” Villarreal said. “With Chris Ghione’s leadership, his city staff and Morgan Hill’s council members continue to be excited about this project. Once built, it will be a truly magical legacy for all to be proud of.”

A youth soccer coach who lives in Morgan Hill is accused of sexually assaulting a child athlete that he coached, according to police.Morgan Hill Police officers arrested Marcial Gonzalez, Jr., 27, Jan. 31 on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor, according to a press release from MHPD. He allegedly sexually assaulted the child at his home. Police are not alleging the sexual assault took place on school grounds.During the investigation, police learned that at the time of his arrest, Gonzalez was employed as a soccer coach at Oak Grove High School in San Jose since November 2017. He was also currently coaching soccer at South Valley Junior High in Gilroy.Police also said Gonzalez previously worked as a coach for Sentinel Soccer Club, a junior varsity boys soccer coach at Live Oak High School and a local Lyft driver.MHPD is in the process of determining if other victims or witnesses have observed or been targeted by crimes from Gonzalez, the press release says. Anyone who might be a victim or has information about this case can contact MHPD at (408) 779-2101 or (669) 253-4960.

The message from Morgan Hill Police during Super Bowl weekend is, “Drive sober or get pulled over,” as officers will conduct citywide DUI enforcement efforts during one of the nation’s favorite annual pastimes.Officers who are “specifically trained in DUI recognition” will be deployed throughout the city during peak hours for the “greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for the community,” according to a press release from MHPD.Police want those football fans who are thinking about driving after drinking alcohol can expect jail, license suspension, insurance increases, fines and fees—all of which can exceed $10,000 if arrested and convicted.“Directed DUI enforcement is an effort to prevent and reduce DUI driving that often results in collisions that cause serious injury or death,” the press release continues.Officers will also be checking motorists for proper licensing, police said.Authorities hope the enforcement effort will have a deterrent effect on those who might otherwise consider driving drunk or drugged, and encourage revelers to use sober designated drivers during the Super Bowl weekend. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this type of DUI enforcement efforts have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, and resulted in the decrease of injury/ fatal traffic collisions.The Super Bowl weekend (Feb. 3-4) enforcement effort is part of the city’s recent implementation of the “Vision Zero” traffic safety program.The NFL Super Bowl is scheduled for a 3:30pm kickoff Sunday, Feb. 4.